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HUERFANO COUNTY |
La VetaFRANCISCO PLAZA Originally built in 1862 by "Colonel" John M. Francisco, the two early historic buildings form a U-shape around an open courtyard. When constructed, they had 18 to 24 inch thick adobe walls, dirt floors, and a dirt roof supported by vigas. Later improvements include gabled roofs, wood flooring, and plastering of the walls. In 1876, the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad arrived at Francisco Plaza, marking a new period of growth and a new name, La Veta. LA VETA MASONIC HALL Completed in 1889, the Masonic Hall is one of the earliest extant examples of the stone construction that would become a prominent component of La Veta's architectural heritage. It is one of the better preserved of the few two-story stone buildings in town, and it is the oldest two-part block commercial building. LA VETA PASS NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD DEPOT The simple L-shaped stuccoed stone depot dates to 1877. The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad built it atop the 9,400 foot high La Veta Pass to serve passenger trains bound to and from the San Luis Valley to the west. The building functioned until 1899 when the original narrow gauge line gave way to a standard gauge replacement seven miles to the south. The simple design and construction reflect the early era of railroad development, particularly in isolated regions like the summit of La Veta Pass. Listed under Railroads in Colorado, 1858-1948 Multiple Property Submission. LAMME HOSPITAL The community of Francisco Plaza, now La Veta, was originally founded in 1862. In 1909, the construction of the 2½-story sandstone hospital building took place, and it was continuously used as such up to 1944. After 1944 the building was used as a private residence up to 1980, when it was then converted to a bed and breakfast inn. WalsenburgFOX THEATER Though originally constructed in 1917 as the Star, the Fox Inter-mountain chain purchased and remodeled the building in 1941 and gave this mainstay of community entertainment a modern Art Deco appearance. HUERFANO COUNTY COURTHOUSE AND JAIL Designed by Pueblo architect C.A. Henderson, the two-story courthouse was built in 1904. The adjacent two-story building utilized as the jail dates from the 1890s. Both have walls of heavy stone, steeply pitched hipped roofs, and facades with prominent square towers. Romanesque Revival detailing is further expressed in the arched window openings at the second story level of the courthouse. Huerfano County High School The 1920 building (also known as Walsenburg Middle School) served the community
for over 80 years as the center of middle and upper-level public school education.
The building is the work of the noted Colorado architectural firm of Isaac Hamilton
Rapp and William Mason Rapp. It is one of the few surviving public schools designed
by the Rapp brothers. The high school is one of only two of the firm’s numerous
southern Colorado projects to employ the Collegiate Gothic style. Although Walsenburg
has six other buildings designed by this prolific firm, this is the town’s only
example of the Collegiate Gothic style. MAITLAND ARROYO BRIDGE Constructed in 1940, the Colorado Department of Highways designed the 123-foot long timber stringer bridge that includes six 20-foot long spans. As one of the largest vehicular structures built by the Great Depression era Works Progress Administration, the intact bridge is noteworthy for its multiple spans and stone masonry abutments. Listed under Highway Bridges in Colorado Multiple Property Submission. ST. MARY SCHOOL, CONVENT, RECTORY AND CHURCH The school, convent and rectory possess the distinctive characteristics
of Mission Revival, a style not well represented in Walsenburg. These three
buildings form a collection of the best-preserved examples
of the style in town. The complex, which includes the extensively
altered church, contributed to the social history of Walsenburg. |